Thirst-quenching bars in Vancouver's Mount Pleasant

Beer, particularly of the craft style, has become an obsession of sorts for legions of Vancouverites. And nowhere is this more on display than in Mount Pleasant. With three craft breweries within blocks of each other, not to mention the great bars featuring delicious taps, from 5th to King Edward, consider your thirst quenched. [Image credit: iStock.com/Xesai]

Consistently hopping, Brassneck is a buzzing after-work meeting place or a chill Sunday afternoon spot for trying some of the craft brewery’s tasty and creatively named beers. From pilsner and lager styles to white IPAs and hopped pale ales, Brassneck is turning out tasty tastings at both their bar and their growler station. Grab a pint or a paddle for a sampling of four and be sure to try one of the delicious snacks at the counter from food truck Pig on the Street. There’s also always a truck out front.

Classic, enduring, this gallery-cum-restaurant on 5th just off Main has been pleasing, feeding and quenching the thirst of locals for years. Consistently updating both their food and beer menus to accommodate evolving tastes and trends, both always deliver. Enjoy one of the best veggie burgers in town along with a draught of something local (all beers are from BC, many from the neighbourhood) while you kick back on their patio and celebrate the little things in life.

After much anticipation, The Main Street Brewing Company, long the purveyors of the popular Main Street Pilsner served at local bars, now have their own bona fide brew house on East 7th complete with 10 house beers. And rare for a brewery, it also boasts an in-house kitchen serving up tasty snacks and more substantial fare, all of which pair perfectly with your Westminster Brown Ale or Hair of the Dog Bitter. Just passing through? Fill up your growler with any one of their fine recipes.

This local craft brewery’s limited selection doesn’t seem to deter local Main Street patrons (and others from farther afield) from squeezing into their beautifully minimal space at 8th and Ontario. Lineups at the bar move quite swiftly though, so be sure to pop in for a real pint of Life or Ocean or Nirvana and either snag a seat or mingle among the crowd. They also have an impressive rotation of food trucks out front at both lunch and dinner, and you’re welcome to bring your grub inside.

A great place to gather after work or to settle in for dinner and a night of reveling, The Cascade Room at 10th has been a Mount Pleasant go-to since it opened. With a strong list of BC beers on tap, as well as Guinness and some guest casks and a lengthy list of international bottled brews, your beer needs should be met. If you’re there after work, their piping hot polenta fries with aioli are a must-order to tide you over till dinner.

Whether you’re looking to catch the Canucks game with like-minded pals at the bar or ready to shake of the stresses of the day on their great wooden deck in the sun, The Five Point is happy to satisfy your beverage needs with a familiar list of draught beers as well as some rarer selections by the bottle. Share some poutine or wings (often on special) or get there early(ish) for a beer-accompanied brunch. Now that’s how you start a Sunday.

Looking south to the city many Vancouverites admire, Cameron Forsyth saw an opportunity to bring a little of Portland into his hometown. Thus Portland Craft was born — a restaurant and bar serving nothing but beers from the Pacific Northwest’s hippest city. Known for its amazing breweries and delicious beers, Portland has found a welcoming home at Main and 23rd. The list is often changing, so check their massive chalk board for the current selections and sample some of their tasty food items too, including chicken and waffles called, what else? Put a Bird on It.

Half a block from Portland Craft but a world away in terms of atmosphere is the Royal Canadian Legion, Unit 298. At long, folding tables you and your friends will find plenty of room to hang out among the veterans and members who have been coming here for decades. There’s pool tables, darts and other games, and beer is cold and affordable, if not the craft style you may be used to. Participate in a meat draw or bingo, and be sure to be respectful to those long-standing members who truly belong here.

Alison Cairns has been working in writing and publishing for over a decade. A devoted Vancouverite, she loves exploring the hidden gems and new happenings — both cultural and culinary — in the city. She is also a lover of coffee, wine, craft beer and pretty much all food except sea urchin. She staves off the results of these loves by running the seawall, cycling the city and hiking the mountains.

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